The National tribune., 1887-11-17
THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY
With Banks and MIIroy In 'es.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: i have care
fully read Comrade True's story Of the cam
paign Of 1862 in the Shenandoah Valley, and
think can give a better relation Of the battle
Of May "a, 1852, and the other days OF hard
fighting that followed, although Comrade
True's description Of the hard lighting is cor
rect in every detail.
It is more in justice TO the cavalry in that
campaign that l write this story, and If am
in error in some points my cavalry comrades
will please correct me.
will start from May "a, '62, day in the
history Of tho war j shall ever remember,
marked rs il was with more "reminiscences OF a
blood -curdlng character than any day of my
four-years' service. On the morning OF May
"a Col. Konly, with his regiment, the LIST Md,
was stationed at Front Royal, together with a
company Of Zouaves and Co. {, 9th n. y. cav,
numbering all told about LOO men. About
noon
GEN. EwELLs ADVANCE
ran upon the advance pickets, Co. c, 9th n. Y.
Cav, and after a sharp encounter the cavalry
was driven in, thus giving Col. kenly ample
opportunity TO prepare for their warm recep-
ton.
The cavalry company held the flank of the
little band of infantry until they were nearly
all captured. Better fighting was never per.
formed by any body OF men than was displayed
by Col. henly and the officers and men under
his command. For an hour and 20 minutes
LOO men held Ewell in check with 10000
greedy devils, who were smacking their laps TO
taste of Gen. Banl1s's commissary stores.
The moment the engagement began at Front
Royal a courier was dispatched TO Strasburg.
happened TO see the flying charger when mile
distant from our camp, and L remarked TO
Peter Smith, Of my company, that something
serious was up or that a cavalTyman would not
run his horse under such a terrible rate oil
speed for so long distance. When the mes
senger turned 10 Gen. John r. Hatch's head
quarters i ran 10 get the first tidings. In less
! time than il takes me to write il staff officers
were mounted and ordering regimental COM
mRnders 10 mount their men, stripped OF all
surplus baggage, and be in line within five
minutes III ever any person saw quicker mo-
tions made by 5000 cavalry than We made,
they certainly must have been aided by nitro
glycerne.
LovE-LETTERs, BLANKETS, ovERcoATs,
boiled shirts, portfolios and captured relics
were consigned TO the fire which was already
destroying the quartemaster stores of oats
corn, etc About p. IN. the 5000 cavalry was
marching in column of fours toward Winches-
! ter, with Gen. Hatch at their head. When we
raised the range of hills overlooking Middle
town the column was halted, and Gen. Hatch
dismounted, took his fieldglass, aud resting it
upon the fence, scanned the surroundings
! ESPECIALLY in the advance), and, closing his
glass remarked: +" They 1.-THE rebsl have cut us
of from our infantry; the only chance left us
is TO cut our way through or be taken prison
ers"
do not know how the other boys relished
these remarks, but they digested hard for me.
| j could feel something crawling mp my throat,
| my knees had the St. Nitus dance, my heart
had flip flop" state Of gymnastics, and, 10
tell all in a few words, never saw such cold
weather before in the month of May; it makes
Il a Il. :. Il r. 81.
consultation was held and the bugle sounded
the forward; my horse moved, and so did /.
When but one-half mile from the enemy S
line of battle a halt was sounded and another
council of war was called, which lasted only
three minutes, but seemed an hour long TO me.
The gloom that hung over US was dispersed by
one mans voice; il was the Colonel of the LIST
Ne. Cav. when he addressed Gen. Hatch:
GENERAL, I CAN CHARGE THE PIKE
and capture those two pieces Of cannon, il you
can give me a flank support" Gen. II. re-
marked il would lac hazardous undertaking,
accompanied with great loss, if the Confeder-
ates should hold their fire for close range
whereupon the Colonel requested the prvi-
lege, which was granted by Gen. H. and that
plan Of battle was soon carried out. The fences
on both sides of the road were grounded; the
LIST VT. took the right Of the pike in battalion
front, and on their right j forget now the
next regimental formation, Int on the left OF
the pike the 9th N. Y. Cav. was deployed in
single rank, battalion front, fronting al beau.
tiful" line Of the buttenut garb, anxiously
awaiting our advance.
They were not long kept in suspense, for N
soon as the line was formed Gen. Hatch rode
along our line, and in a cool and business-likc
voice told us 10 single out the men in our front
and use our reyOlvers when in sure range o.
the enemy; then 20 take the saber as soon al
- IL I'LL a
ed the advance, and the 5000 mounted speci
mems of death on Horseback" with a vel
that was enough TO scare " His Satanic Ma
jesty" from the Throne OF Birthstone, wen
laundering over the grassy meadow as on th,
wings of the wind. 1t was a grand spectacle
words fail 10 depict its beauties, nor can Ian
guage portray its grandeur.
The LIST Me-, with that spirit OF drawer.
which so characterized it during the wal
charged the pike, and when within so yard
from the muzzles Of the two Confederate can
non, the latter opened with doubleshotted can
lister, and the head of our cavalry column wa
piled up
FENCE HIGH WITH MEN AND HORSES.
The shots proved so destructive that the road
I way was blocked from fence to fence and tn
q regiment was compelled TO let down the rail
{ and take to the meadows; but on went ia
s other regiments and before the LIST Me- ha
s recovered from It's shock we 1.-THE other reg
e ments) had the enemy flying like wild pigeons
S and our cavalry force was once more in cor
c necton with our infantry forces. The ncry
a Gus thoughts that but a few moments befoT
b had full control Of our minds now turned (
the reverse.
We were through, but our loss was SO wal
ons and 3l2 mules; the train was burned b
' the drivers, and our loss in prisoners amOunte
is 10 s75, all told.
% The most severe ordeal through which W
d passed was our reception by the Sd Wis. abou
n & o'clock p. m, when within a few miles
+ Winchester. That regiment was acting
=, rear-guard OF our infantry, and formed on III
left Of the pike behind stone fence. Our co
umn was trotting along aud receiving ever
few moments a shell from the batteries of I'll
sc COnfederates, when, 10 our surprise as well
20 chagrin. the Sd Wis. opened with a terrib
ID voley that lifted nearly hundred men fro
4 their saddles, and killed double that number
G. horses 1t was a terrible moment. Office
a and men shouted "You are firing upon yOI
f. own men" and for time il seemed the frI
le would not cease until we were annihilated.
as j shall never forget that night, nor the /:
t. Wis, and 10 cents 10 a chew of tobacco j wi
Of never forgive them.
e. That night we quartered in Winchester, ar
a before the mornings sun had tipped the tire
A. we were in line of battle skirting Wincheste
be supporting our little band of infantry
i " \ L..